High school instructional aide facing sex abuse charges

By JOHNATHAN HOGAN Post RegisterNovember 14, 2018

An Idaho Falls man who worked at Hillcrest High School for six months as an instructional aide has been charged with sexually abusing a girl several years ago. He also is under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a Hillcrest student.

Jason Travis Scott, 48, was arrested Oct. 29 after an Idaho Falls Police Department investigation determined he had sexually abused and raped a now-15-year-old girl over several years. Scott admitted to the sexual abuse when interviewed by a detective.

School District 93 Superintendent Chuck Shackett said Scott began working at Hillcrest High School in August 2017. Scott was suspended six months later after a student’s mother found inappropriate text messages from Scott on the student’s phone. The mother showed the messages to the school, prompting the district to suspend and later fire Scott. Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Bryan Lovell said the relationship is under investigation.

The second case came to light in June when the victim expressed distress to her mother about being asked to spend time with Scott. She told her mother, and later a forensic interviewer, that Scott had sexually abused her starting when she was 9 years old and continuing until she was 13.

The victim said Scott would perform sex acts on her and make her perform sex acts with him.

The victim said during a forensic interview that she was unaware of how inappropriate Scott’s actions were when she was younger and that he stopped when she confronted him and said what he was doing was wrong.

Scott admitted to sexually abusing the victim, but denied some of the specific allegations, including an incident of rape. Scott said he continued to abuse the girl until one time when she looked at him with disgust, making him feel guilty.

Scott was charged with lewd conduct with a minor child under 16, punishable with up to life in prison. A no-contact order was issued between him and the victim. He was released to Pre-trial Services.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday in Bonneville County Courthouse. Charges have not been filed in the case involving the Hillcrest High School student and the case remains under investigation.